Discharge arrangement for railway hopper cars

ABSTRACT

A discharge arrangement for railway hopper cars includes a housing having a plurality of discharge openings and discharge troughs opening outwardly at opposite ends of said housing. The discharge troughs are adapted to be connected to a suitable pneumatic source for discharging materials. The troughs are closed at opposite ends by a single U-shaped conduit which communicates with the adjacent ends of the trough, each of the Ushaped conduits being removable from one side of a railway car for attachment to a pneumatic discharge arrangement.

United States Patent [191 Adler 1 Apr. 3, 1973 [54] DISCHARGE ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY HOPPER CARS [75] Inventor: Franklin P. Adler, Michigan City,

Ind.

[73] Assignee: Pullman Transport Leasing Company, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Dec. 13, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 207,505

52 US. Cl. .302/52 51 int. Cl ..B65g 53/40 58 Field of Search ..302 27, 39, 52

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Aller ..302/52 Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-W. Scott Carson AttorneyHilmond O. Vogel et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A discharge arrangement for railway hopper cars includes a housing having a plurality of discharge openings and discharge troughs opening outwardly at opposite ends of said housing. The discharge troughs are adapted to be connected to a suitable p'neumatic source for discharging materials. The troughs are closed at opposite ends by a single U-shaped conduit which communicates with the adjacent ends of the trough, each of the U-shaped conduits being removable from one side of a railway car for attachment to a pneumatic discharge arrangement.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DISCHARGE ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY HOPPER CARS A related patent application is Ser. No. 889,497 filed Dec. 31, 1969 now US. Pat. No. 3,637,262.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the art of pneumatic discharge arrangements located at the lower ends of a discharge hopper and particularly to the type of hopper which is carried on a railway hopper car.

2. Description of the Prior Art Patents disclosing discharge arrangements are: US. Pat. Nos. 2,647,802, August 1953; 2,650,726, September 1953; 3,048,448, August 1662; 3,174,807, March 1965; 3,306,675, February 1967. Patents in the prior art comprise discharge arrangements which include a housing adapted for connection to the discharge end of a hopper and these generally include a single discharge opening leading to a trough from which material is drawn by vacuum to a pneumatic discharge system. Valve arrangements for controlling the discharge generally include rotatable tubes suitably slotted for effecting discharge or as in the above mentioned related case, may include a valve member slida ble horizontally relative to the discharge opening for regulating the same. The prior art essentially discloses a single discharge slot for each individual hopper and the discharge trough or tube is normally capped at opposite sides by means of conventional closure caps. In the application of the trough or conduit to a pneumatic discharge system the operator must remove caps on both sides of the car so that one end of the tube is exposed to the atmosphere while the other is connected to the source of vacuum or pneumatic discharge arrangement. This requires the operator to move from one side of the railroad car to the other which is difficult particularly when the cars are in a complete train.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved and more efficient discharge arrangement for hoppers which can more easily be connected to a suitable source of pneumatic discharge. A discharge housing is attached to the lower end of a railway hopper and includes a pair of discharge openings and tubular troughs which extend horizontally and transversely of a railway hopper car. The discharge openings are separated by a divider having downwardly diverging walls and a valve and valve members are movable laterally with respect with each discharge opening for regulating flow of material therethrough. The adjacent ends of each of the troughs or conduits are capped or closed by U-shaped conduits which may be readily removed from the opposite ends of the discharge troughs when the railway car has reached its destination and material from the hopper is to be discharged. The U-shaped conduits provide for communication between opposite ends of the trough and replace the normally individual caps which close the ends of the discharge tubes in conventional fashion. With the present arrangement the operator may remove either of the U-shaped conduits depending from which side of the railway car the operator wishes to make the attachment to a pneumatic discharge system. Thus, attachment of a vacuum probe or tubular connection to one of the open tubes will effectuate pneumatic discharge since the adjacent open tube, on the same side, is uncovered by removal of the one U- shaped conduit so that suitable venting is provided. Materials may then be discharged through both of the troughs and into the pneumatic discharge system. By utilization of the present device the operator has only to disconnect one of the tubular conduits from one side of the car and thus does not have to travel to both sides of the car for providing suitable venting so that discharge may take place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view of a railway hopper car embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view through one of the discharge arrangements taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a discharge arrangement taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4is an end elevational view taken particularly along 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the discharge tubes open with the covers removed; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A hopper car as disclosed in FIG. 1 is generally designed by the letter A and includes three hopper discharge arrangements 10 each suitably connected to a conventional type hopper 11, more particularly disclosed in FIGS. 3 through 6. The hoppers 11 each include downwardly and inwardly sloping side walls 12 and end walls 13. An angularly shaped flange member 14 is connected in rectangular configuration around the lower ends of the sloping walls 12 and 13 and has connected thereto a discharge housing 15. The housing 15 includes sloping side walls 16 which are best shown in FIG. 6 and which include flanges 16 suitably connected to the frame members 14. End walls 17, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, also slope downwardly and include flanges 18. The sloping end walls 17 also include lower vertical wall sections 19. As best. shown in FIG. 6, vertical wall members 20 are disposed to one side of the side walls 16 and include horizontal wall sections 21 projecting inwardly with respect to the housing 15. Flanges 22 project outwardly from the wall members 20. A spacer 23, as best shown in FIG. 3, is disposed between the frame member 14 and the flange l8 and the parts may be secured together in a conventional manner, bolt and nut fasteners generally being utilized for this purpose.

As best shownin FIG. 6, an inverted V-shaped divider is designated at 24 and includes a pair of downwardly diverging walls 25 for directing material to tubular troughs or conduits 26 disposed on opposite sides of the housing 20 and which extend laterally with respect to the hopper car A under each of the hoppers 11. As best shown in FIG. 6, the wall 16 includes lower extensions 27 which extend partially across the troughs 26 and provide with the lower ends of the walls 25 transversely extending discharge openings 28. Valve plates 29 are movable, as best shown in FIG. 6, from underneath the extensions 27 into closed relation for closing the discharge openings 28. The valves 28'are also movable to meter in controlled fashion the amount of material which is discharged from the housing and hopper l 1 into the troughs 26. The valve plates and their operation are more explicitly shown in the above referenced application. The valve plate 29 is connected to transversely slidable bars 30 provided with downwardly extending racks 31 at one end and the said slide bars 30 being supported in tubular guides 32 at their other ends underneath the walls 25. The slide bars 30, also are suitably slidingly supported on bosses 33, best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. Gears 34 are rigidly connected for rotation with operating shafts 35, the said gears 34 engaging the racks 31 for moving the slide bars 30 laterally and thus controlling movement of each of the valve plates 29.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the operating shafts 35 extend through openings 36 provided in the vertical wall sections 19 and may be otherwise suitably supported by bearing means (not disclosed). Each of the operating shafts has at opposite ends thereof operating heads 37 suitably apertured to receive an actuating tool which may be manually utilized for sliding the valve plates 29. Each of the tubular troughs 26 is provided at its opposite ends with projecting conduits 38 extending outwardly of the housing 15 and being adjacent to one another. The projecting conduits 38 may be suitably connected, in the open position, to a pneumatic discharge system, the same being conventional in the art. The projecting conduits 38 include smaller diameter extensions 39 which are adapted to receive and mater with U-shaped connector conduits 40. The connector conduits 40 serve the purpose of closing the ends of the troughs and are removably connected to the extensions 39. Each of the connector conduits 40 in cludes a flat plate 41. A bail shaped member 42 is suitably pivoted on brackets 43 into the position shown in FIG. 3 wherein a lever 44 is in locked position for retaining one of the conduits 40 in closed relation. The lever 44 may be also of relatively conventional construction including acam 45 pivotally supported on ears 46 and in the locked position engaging the plate 41 whereby the bail shaped member will retain the U- shaped conduit 40 in the closed position shown in the left hand side of FIG. 3.

As best shown, also in FIGS. 2 and 5, stop rods 47 are slidingly positioned in openings 48 provided in the vertical wall sections 19. Each stop rod 47 is positioned parallel and adjacent to each rod 35. Each stop rod is provided at opposite ends with a rectangular stop member 49 which, as best shown in FIG. 2, engages flat surface 50 provided on each of the operating heads 37. In the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 the stop rods in the positions shown will prevent any turning movement of the shafts 35 which are thus locked. The rods 47 may be rectangular construction as well as the openings 48 so that there is no rotating movement of the rods 47 or it may be restrained by other means, being only slidable and projecting outwardly of the housing 15. Also, as best shown in FIG. 2, on the left hand side, in the closed position of the conduit 40, ears 51 on the conduit are positioned against the rectangular stops 49 so that they cannot move outwardly of the housing 15. When the other U-shaped conduit is disposed over the other extensions 39 and the other bail shaped member is placed in the locking position, the ears 51 are effective to lock the rods 47 against any sliding movement. Thus, in the closed position where the stops 49 engage the flat portions 50 on the operating heads, the operating heads are also securely locked against rotation.

OPERATION During transit the extension 39 of the conduits 38 are all closed by means of the two closed conduits 40 and the bail shaped members 42 are in locking position. When the destination is reached the operator determines from which side he wishes to unload material. This position may be based upon the location of the siding or location of the pneumatic conveying system to which the material is to be directed and removed to an ultimate storage point. The operator now merely disconnects the bail 42 and swings it to one side, as best shown on the right hand side of FIG. 2, whereupon he then can easily remove the U-shaped connector conduit 40. Re need not remove the other connector conduit, in fact he leaves it in the closed position and thus does not have to go to the other side of the car as would be conventional if the ends of the conduits were merely capped. He now attaches a suitable conventional conduit from a vacuum or pneumatic conveying source to one of the open extensions 39 and the operation can begin. He then moves the stop rods 47 in a direction outwardly or to the right in FIG. 2 so that the stop members 49 are disengaged from the operating heads 37 and the same may be turned by a conventional operating tool for regulating the valve plates relative to the openings for metered and controlled discharge. Material now may be discharged through one or both of the valve openings 28 into the troughs 26 and suction will draw material from one trough through the single connected conduit 40 into the other trough and with material from said trough, the same is discharged through the extension 39, to which the pneumatic discharge system is connected. The other extension 39 being open provides for proper and excellent venting without the necessity of the operator going to the other side of the car to provide for such venting. Thus, one of the prime objects of the invention has been achieved in that a more efficient discharge system is provided which will more efi'iciently discharge larger quantities of material and which will make it unnecessary for the operator to travel from one side of the car to the other to effecutate such discharge.

When the operation has been completed the operating heads 37 are rotated to close the valve plates and the stops 49 are moved into engaging position with said operating heads. The U-shaped conduit 40 which has been removed now is quickly assembled back in closed position with the extensions 39 and the bail is again placed in locking position. By this arrangement now the ears 51 of both conduits 40 are in engaging and locking position relative to the stop rods 47 so that they no longer can slide or move out of locking engagement. Thus, the car is again ready for transit.

What is claimed is:

l. A railway car having a material discharge arrangement including a hopper having a discharge portion including a pair of sloping side walls converging toward a discharge opening comprising:

a housing including a second pair of sloping side walls connected to said discharge portion respectively below said first side walls,

end walls connecting said side walls,

a central wall horizontally spaced between lower edges of said second walls to provide a pair of horizontally extending and spaced valve openings,

valve means on said housing movably supported thereon for movement to open and closed positions for regulating material discharge through said valve openings,

a pair of tubular troughs respectively communication with said valve openings and extending from side to side of said railway car,

closed conduit means, and

means removably connecting said closed conduit means to adjacent ends of said troughs for communication therewith,

said ends of said troughs being adapted to connect to pneumatic discharge means whereby said railway car can be unloaded from either side of said railway car.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said closed conduit means comprising single U-shaped conduits removably connected to opposite ends of both troughs, whereby said conduits may be removed from either side of said housing for connecting any one of said troughs to said discharge means.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said one conduit connecting adjacent ends of said trough and with said other conduit removed from the other adjacent ends of said trough providing for the flow of material from one trough through the other trough and to said discharge means.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, includmg rotatable actuating means mounted on said housing and connected to said valve means for actuating the same,

said actuating means being operable from opposite ends of said housing, and

movable lock means supported on said housing and operable from opposite ends thereof for engaging said actuating means to lock the same against rotation.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1, includmg operating shafts rotatably supported on said housing and extending outwardly from said end walls,

drive means connected to said shaft and said valv means for moving the same, and movable lock means on said housing extending outwardly from said end walls,

said shafts and lock means being operable from opposite ends of said housing.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said central wall including wall sections diverging downwardly toward said valve openings.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 5, said movable lock means comprising a pair of rods slidably supported on said housing,

stop means on the ends of said rods engageable with said shafts for locking the same against rotation.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 7, said shafts having operating heads connected at opposite ends thereof,

said stop means on said rods engaging said heads for locking said shafts.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 4, including stop elements on said conduit means engaging said lock means during the connected position of said conduit means for maintaining said locked means in the locked position.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 7, including stop elements on said conduit means engaging said movable lock means during the connected position of said conduit means for maintaining said locked means in the locked position. 

1. A railway car having a material discharge arrangement including a hopper having a discharge portion including a pair of sloping side walls converging toward a discharge opening comprising: a housing including a second pair of sloping side walls connected to said discharge portion respectively below said first side walls, end walls connecting said side walls, a central wall horizontally spaced between lower edges of said second walls to provide a pair of horizontally extending and spaced valve openings, valve means on said housing movably supported thereon for movement to open and closed positions for regulating material discharge through said valve openings, a pair of tubular troughs respectively communication with said valve openings and extending from side to side of said railway car, closed conduit means, and means removably connecting said closed conduit means to adjacent ends of said troughs for communication therewith, said ends of said troughs being adapted to connect to pneumatic discharge means whereby said railway car can be unloaded from either side of said railway car.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said closed conduit means comprising single U-shaped conduits removably connected to opposite ends of both troughs, whereby said conduits may be removed from either side of said housing for connecting any one of said troughs to said discharge means.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said one conduit connecting adjacent ends of said trough and with said other conduit removed from the other adjacent ends of said trough providing for the flow of material from one trough through the other trough and to said discharge means.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including rotatable actuating means mounted on said housing and connected to said valve means for actuating the same, said actuating means being operable from opposite ends of said housing, and movable lock means supported on said housing and operable from opposite ends thereof for engaging said actuating means to lock the same against rotation.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including operating shafts rotatably supported on said housing and extending outwardly from said end walls, drive means connected to said shaft and said valve means for moving the same, and movable lock means on said housing extending outwardly from said end walls, said shafts and lock means being operable from opposite ends of said housing.
 6. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said central wall including wall sections diverging downwardly toward said valve openings.
 7. The invention in accordance with claim 5, said movable lock means comprising a pair of rods slidably supported on said housing, stop means on the ends of said rods engageable with said shafts for locking the same against rotation.
 8. The invention in accordance with claim 7, said shafts having operating heads connected at opposite ends thereof, said stop means on said rods engaging said heads for locking said shafts.
 9. The invention in accordance with claim 4, including stop elements on said conduit means engaging said lock means during the connected position of said conduit means for maintaining said locked means in the locked position.
 10. The invention in accordance with claim 7, including stop elements on said conduit means engaging said movable lock means during the connected position of said conduit means for maintaining said locked means in the locked position. 